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A strong password is a great way to prevent hackers and identity thieves from accessing your accounts. But what if you share it with someone you know? Many teens and young adults are giving passwords to friends or loved ones as a sign of trust or love. After all, sharing is caring, right? But what might seem like a milestone in a relationship can turn out to be a very harmful decision. Continue Reading >

Thousands of people downloaded a popular 3D browser-based game from the Chrome Web Store. That game, described as a "fast-paced, action-packed free-running castle adventure game," advertised "High Speed Acrobatics," "Awesome Outfits and Skills," and "Insanely Dangerous Worlds." Continue Reading >

We get it. You’ve got holiday hangover. Bills are trickling in for the gifts you bought last year. You’re already having trouble keeping the resolutions you just made. And you can’t bring yourself to take down the holiday decorations. To top it off, tax forms are beginning to fill your inbox. Is it tax season already?! Continue Reading >

Millions of people are affected by identity theft each year. It might start with a mysterious credit card charge, a bill you don’t recognize, or a letter from the IRS that says you already got your refund — even though you didn’t. Continue Reading >

The season of giving is over — well, sort of. For many people, December’s gift-giving and feasting means a bigger-than-usual credit card bill in January. You know the advice: it’s always good to pay off your balance in full. But if you can’t, we’ve got some tips for paying down credit card debt: Continue Reading >

Manuel and his wife just found the perfect minivan! They can’t wait to take it home and surprise the kids. But first, there’s the issue of how to pay for it. The dealer financing seems like a good deal, so they go for it. A few days later, the dealer calls to tell Manuel the financing deal fell through. He says Manuel has to accept a new, more expensive deal or he’ll lose the minivan. What will Manuel do? Continue Reading >

The subject line says “Get Protected,” and the email talks about new features from the Social Security Administration (SSA) that can help taxpayers monitor their credit reports, and know about unauthorized use of their Social Security number. It even cites the IRS and the official-sounding “S.A.F.E Act 2015.” It sounds real, but it’s all made-up. Continue Reading >

The subject line says “Get Protected,” and the email talks about new features from the Social Security Administration (SSA) that can help taxpayers monitor their credit reports, and know about unauthorized use of their Social Security number. It even cites the IRS and the official-sounding “S.A.F.E Act 2015.” It sounds real, but it’s all made-up. Continue Reading >

by Jennifer Leach, Assistant Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education

There’s not much doubt that fraud can happen anywhere. To anyone. That’s the whole idea behind the FTC’s Every Community Initiative: fraud affects every community, and the FTC works to stop fraud wherever it happens. When we look at all the reports we get from consumers in communities across the country, these scams start to feel like something we face together, something we can imagine happening to us, or someone we care about. And when we share those stories, it really hits home. Continue Reading >